Abdominal Migraine: An Under-Diagnosed Cause of Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children

Abdominal migraine is often regarded as a childhood disorder and less commonly described in adults. However, gastrointestinal symptoms are known to occur to adult migraine patients, and recognition of adult abdominal migraine may facilitate treatment of the recurrent abdominal symptoms and avoidance of unproductive and sometimes invasive therapies. Here, I describe a patient with chronic migraine headaches and recurrent abdominal pain both of which showed sustained improvement after treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA injections.

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The child with recurrent abdominal pain: is it abdominal migraine?

British Journal of Hospital Medicine ◽

10.12968/hmed.2007.68.sup7.23987 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 68 (Sup7) ◽

pp. M110-M113 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

George Russell ◽

David NK Symon ◽

Ishaq A Abu-Arafeh

Keyword(s):

Abdominal Pain ◽

Recurrent Abdominal Pain ◽

Abdominal Migraine

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Abdominal Migraine: A Childhood Syndrome Defined

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1046/j.1468-2982.1986.0604223.x ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 223-228 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

David NK Symon ◽

George Russell

Keyword(s):

Abdominal Pain ◽

Family History ◽

Diagnostic Criteria ◽

Recurrent Abdominal Pain ◽

Nausea And Vomiting ◽

Degree Relative ◽

Migraine Therapy ◽

Abdominal Migraine ◽

History Of ◽

Marked Relief

It has long been recognized that some cases of recurrent abdominal pain in children are related to migraine, but the diagnostic criteria for abdominal migraine have not been defined. We have identified a group of children with recurrent abdominal pain who had a family history of migraine—in over half the cases in a first-degree relative—and who obtained marked relief from their symptoms from specific anti-migraine therapy. These children had a well-defined syndrome comprising episodes of midline abdominal pain of sufficient severity to interfere with normal activities and lasting for prolonged periods, frequently accompanied by pallor, headache, anorexia, nausea, and vomiting. It is proposed that these children have “abdominal migraine”.

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Abdominal migraine

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1177/0333102415617748 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 36 (10) ◽

pp. 980-986 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Kate Napthali ◽

Natasha Koloski ◽

Nicholas J Talley

Keyword(s):

Abdominal Pain ◽

International Headache Society ◽

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders ◽

Recurrent Abdominal Pain ◽

Paediatric Population ◽

Medical Community ◽

Future Research ◽

Abdominal Migraine ◽

Probable Migraine ◽

Randomised Controlled

Background Abdominal migraine (AM) is a syndrome usually recognised in childhood. The syndrome is characterised by episodic attacks of severe abdominal pain and vasomotor symptoms, nausea and vomiting. It is a poorly understood disorder largely due to a limited recognition of this condition by the medical community. However, the publication of AM diagnostic guidelines by the International Headache Society a decade ago and the recognition of AM in the Rome Classification of functional gastrointestinal disorders have helped to legitimise this disorder and facilitate research. Overview AM is relatively common, affecting up to 4% of the paediatric population. Whilst AM is not believed to continue into adulthood for the majority of children, it has the propensity to develop into probable migraine and recurrent abdominal pain in adulthood. The pathophysiology of this condition remains unclear and as a result treatment for this condition is suboptimal with avoidance of triggers and prophylactic treatment currently recommended when an episode begins. Conclusion The recognition of AM by the IHS and the Rome Foundation should help facilitate future research into the pathophysiology of this debilitating condition and as a result better treatments for AM should emerge. Randomised controlled trials should be a priority.

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